Operating means



1,633,198 A. H. sTEBBlNs OPERATING MEANS (Filed Deo. 2Q, 1924 2 sneets-shqe. 1

28 4P e2 s June 21, 1927.

ATTONEY 'June 21, 1927.

1,633,198 A. H. srEBBlNs v OPERATING MANS Filed Dec. 2o. 1924 f 2 sheets-sheet 2 /M/ENTOE ATTORNEY @Mm/MALA 'f not be injuredl by this dust.

Patented June 21, 1927.

i UNITED STATES ALBERT H. s'rEBBINs,l or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. Y

OPERATING MEANS.

Application led December 20, 1924. Scria'l No. 757,174.

rlhis invention relates to operating means for impart-ing a back and forth movement to decks, screens and other operating frames mounted for vibratory movement, and more t particularly to means for producing a progressive movement.

Various constructions have been proposed heretofore for producing a progressive vibratory movement, but difficulty has been exf perienced in developing a strong, durable mechanism that is simple in construction and which will produce the desired movement.

An important feature of the present invention, therefore, resides in a simple and i satisfactory form of operating means for imparting a progressive movement to decks,

screens and other frames mounted for vibratory movement. f

Gperating means of the type to which the f present invention relates are extensively used to operate decks, screens and other machines that produce considerable dust. It is therefore important that the construction of the operating parts be such that they will Another feature of the invention therefore'resides in the construction by which dirt and dust are excluded from the bearings of the operating Other features of the invention andv novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which `illustrate good practical forms of the invention.

in the drawings Fig. l is a side elevation of al frameA mounted for back and forth movement and f providedV with the operating means of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to `Fig. l, but shows a modified form of'operatiiig means.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, but.

invention may be employed for various purposes and is shown in position to operate a frame which mayconstitute a concentra-v tor deck, ascreen frame which supports theV ordinary screen clothing or other device.

-The frame l0 is mounted upon the car-1 riage 11, lwhich is supported for back and forth movementin the direction of its length by a supporting. base ofv any suitable con# struction. This base may consist of longitudinally extending beams 12, secured to uprights 13, and the uprights may be connected by laterally extending braces 14.

Various means may be einployedfor sup`A porting-the carriage 11 for back and forth movement, and in the construction shown this is accomplished by transversely ex-.g'

tending shafts 1,5 disposed near the opposite ends of the supporting base. Each shaft 15 is rotatably mounted in a bracket 16 mounted Vupon the supporting base. The opposite ends of each shaft l5 are provided with downwardly extending arms 17, near the lower ends of which are provided laterally extending stub shafts `18 that are journaled in bearing brackets-l9 rigidly secured to the under face of the carriage 11. The arrangement is such that as the arms 17y rock backrr and forth about the axis Vof :the shaft l5 a slight risingand 'falling movement is yimparted to the carriage l1 and frame mounted thereupon'i- 4' Y f a The' operating mechanismof the present invention is constructed to impart a progressive movement to thel frame 10 andin the construction shown the progressive movenient willbe'in a right-.hand direction, as indicated by the arrow, so that the vmaterials being treated ywill move under the action of the operating means lengthwise of the frame l0 towards the right-hand yend. ofthe same.-

Yielding means is employed for urging the carriage l1 and frame lOYin ariglit-hand direction,consisting of one or more coiled springs 20, one end of which may rest in a cup that is secured to a block or bracketQl fastened to the under vface of the carriage 11 and the opposite end of each spring rests in a lcup 22secured to and adjustably supported by a threaded shaft 23k having' threaded engagement with a bracket 24C thaty is rigidly -secured to an upper portion of the supportingbase. The tension of the springs 20 'may' belvaried as desired by turning the hand wheel 25 upoiieach threaded shaftiii` groove.

one direction or the other, and each shaft may be secured in the desired position of adjustment by tightening the nuts 26.

One or more cables may be employed for moving the carriage ll and frame mounted thereupon in a left-hand direction against the tension of the springs 20, and the eccentrics that actuate the cables may be disposed in various positions relative to the cables to tension and slack od the cables.

In Fig. l two operating cables 27 are shown. One end of each of these cables is secured to a block or bracket 28 fastened to the under face of the carriage 11 and the opposite end of each cable is adjustably anchored to the supporting base by a threaded bolt 29. The length of these cables may be adjusted by adjustable nuts 3() on the bolt 29. Back and forth movement is imparted to the frame l() f in the present case by exerting a laterally displacing pressure upon an intermediate portionof each cable 27 to pull the frame l0 in a left-hand direction, and then the cables are slacked off to permit the frame l to r move in aright-hand direction under the action of the springs 20. rlthis is accomplished in the construction shown in Fig. l by providing a transversely extending operating shaft 31, the ends of which are j ournaled in bearing brackets 32 supported by the machine base, and this shaft 31 is provided with a relatively long eccentric portion 33 upon which are mounted the sheaves 34, each of which is provided with a cable receiving The shaft 3l may be driven by a pulley 35. The sheaves 34 are not mounted directly upon the eccentric 33, but anti-friction bearings 36 are provided between the eccentric and the central bore of the hub portion 37 of each sheave so that the eccentric may rotate within the sheaves without rotating the latter. This construction serves to move the sheaves. bodily in an orbital path to force each sheave against an intermediate portion ofy a cable 27 vto tension the latter and then move it away from the cable to permit the frame to move in a righthand direction.

As stated, operating mechanism of the type to which the present invention relates is often used upon decks, screens and other means which produce a large amount of dirt and dust,`and in order to prevent this dust from reaching the anti-friction bearings 36, in the construction shown, collars 38 are provided which surround the eccentric portion 33 and are rigidly secured thereto by set screws 39. Each of these collars is provided with an enlarged annular flange portion 40 which fits within the bore of the hub portion 37 of each sheave to close each end of this bore to exclude dirt and dust from the same. rlhe anti-friction means 36 may be variously constructed and, as shown, two anti-friction units 36 of well known construction are mounted upon the eccentric within each sheave. These units are held in spaced relation by a ring 41 which fits the eccentric and each sheave is provided with an annular inwardly extending` rib 42 that lextends inwardly between the pair of antifriction units. The arrangement is such that the anti-friction units are held against movement lengthwise of theshaft by the collars 38, and the rib 42 which extends inwardly between the anti-friction units prevents the sheave from moving lengthwise of the shaft. In this manner each sheave 34 is held against movement lengthwise of the driving shaft while at the same time the eccentrics rotate freely within the sheaves to move the latter thru an orbital path, without turning the sheaves. Novel means is provided for supplying a lubricant to the anti-friction bearings. To this end an oil cup 43 is secured to one of the collars so that the lubricant mayy pass inwardly thru the bore 44 to a groove 45 extending lengthwise of the eccentric portion of the shaft to supply the lubricant tothe ring 41. As the shaft rotates the centrifugal f orce will throw the lubricant outwardly so that it will find its way to each of the anti-friction units 36. The excess amount of lubricant supplied to the bearing will tend to work outwardly between the annular flange 40 of each collar, and the inner bore of the hub 37. This will prevent dirt and dust from enter-ing at this point and thereby excludes the same from the bearings. An annular groove 46 formed in each of the flanges 40 provides a pocket in which the lubricant may accumulate.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as the shaft 3l rotates the eccentric portion 33 of this shaft serves. to move each sheave to and from the cable tightening position, and it will be noted that the movement of the sheaves which tightens and slacks off the cables is primarily their movement along the horizontal line AHB, while the tension of the cable is affected only slightly by the movement of the sheaves in the vertical direction. The operating eccentric 33 may be regarded as having a dead centre at each end of its stroke where it uses up a period of time during which it neither pulls nor releases the cable appreciably. This occurs when the eccentric is substantially on the line A-l'with the eccentric extending towards A or towards B. Wvhen the eccentric extends towards A, the frame l0 is at the left-hand end of its stroke, and when the eccentric xtends towards B, the frame l0 is at the right-hand end of its stroke.

As the eccentric turns from B to A in a clockwise direction, it stretches the cable taut and pulls the frame in a left-hand direction against the tension of the springs, and as the eccentric passes the dead centre position at A, the slowest movement is imparted to the frame and the direction of movement of the frame is changed, without shifting the materials along the frame. As the eccentric con'- tinues its movement 'in a clockwise direction from A Itowards B, the cable is slacked oli and the'springs pushl the carriage 11 and frame thereupon ini-aright-hand direction to take up the slack of the cai le. v'Vhen the eccentric reaches the linee-B, the slack is nearly all taken up, but there still remains the final tightening up of 'the siackedv'cable,

which requires a very short period Vot time,

but this Y is suincient to permit the ec-y centric to pass slightly below the line A-B and cause the sheave vto 'grip the able suddenly and begin theA next backward pull. This quick gripping of thecable, with its backwardA pull is the important 'etyect, as it arrests suddenly v'the movement imported to the :trame by the springs 20 vand causes the momentum imparted to the materials to slide them along the trame.v

- Therotation ot the `eccentric in a clockwise direction from A towards B may be ac-V celerated somewhat by the pull of the cable which promotes a quickened Jforward stroke, and the pull of `the cable against the eccentric as it rotates from B towards A may slow downv somewhat the movement of the trame in the left-hand direction and help slow down the turn made by the frame at the lefthand end of its stroke.

The quick grip ot the cable above described, as the eccentric passes the pointB in rotating downwardly from the line A-B is the important edect in producing the desired progressive movement, but the other result caused by a slightspeeding up of the sheave as it moves inone direction and a slight slowing down ot the sheave as itr rotates in the opposite direction `help produce the desired result. The combination of these two iniiuences gives an accelerated forward movement in a right-hand direction with a quick turn at the forward end ot-the stroke,

v and a slow backward movement in a lefthand direction with a slow-turn at this end ot'- the stroke, with the. result that an ett-V tremely satisfactory progressive movement imparted to the iframe 10. If it is desired to arrest the movement of the trame 10 in right-hand direction moresuddenly than can be accomplished bythe mechanism described, this may be accom; plished by providing a bumper .L7 which may be rigidly secured to the supporting base and extends upwardly into position to be struck by the bracket Q8, or other part carried by the carriage 11, to stop the movement ot the. trame. Y

In the construction shown, the swinging arms 17 which support the carriage 1l for movement in the direction of its length servel also to impart an upthrow movement Vto the carriage, and this swinging movement may be struction and operation to the eccentric shaft-V 31 abovev mentioned, is provided with grooved sheaves 52 which act laterally against the portion 4of the cables which extends from the idle sheave 49 to the anchoring means 53. The operation of the construction shown in this figure is substantially the same as that in Fig. 1, except that since the cables48 pass around only a. small portion of the sheaves 52, the movement impart'- ed to the ram-e 10 by the mechanism of Figv 2 will not be as great as that in F ig. l.

In Fig. 3, still a different modilication is shown, in which the cable 54C has one Yend anchored to the supporting base at 55, and' the opposite end is secured atl 56 to the upper portion of the levers 57, the lower end oi which is pivotally secured to the supportingv base at 58. The cable 54 passes around an idle sheave 59 rotatably supported by the shaftV 59a and an intermediate portion of the cable 54 passes part way around the sheave 60 which isr mounted yupon and actuated by eccentrics upon they eccentric shaft 61. downwardly extending` portion of the cable .54 passes around an idle roller 62 to the anframe which moves back and forth is sup-'- ported by rocking arms 17, since the angle thru which these arms swing as the frame moves back and forth under the operating means may be varied as desired by adjusting the position of the clamping nuts upon the bolts 56, 64 and 65. Should it be desirable to employ a. stopvupon the'construction shown in Fig. 3, this may take the form of a bracket 66rigidly secured to the supporting base and having aportion 67 against which the rock-V ing lever 57 may strike, suddenly to arrest the movementr of the frame 10 in a righthand direction,v

In Fig. 6 another modified form o't-operating means is shown, consisting ot' an operating lever 68, the lower end of which is pivotally secured to the supporting base af' 69, and rocking movement is imparted to this lever by an eccentric shaft 70 which may be provided with an eccentric portion 71. similar to that vabove described. T his shaft, however, instead ot rbeing provided with sheaves 34, has a sleeve 72 which'surrounds the eccentric and is supported thereupon by Vanti-frictionV bearings that may be The similar to the anti-friction bearings 36 above described. The sleeve 72 does not rotate with the eccentric, but is moved thereby thru an orbital path to rock the lever 68 in a right-hand direction, and the lever is shown as having a curved portion which extends part way around the sleeve 7 2. Rocking movement of the lever 68 may be imparted to the frame lO by the cable 73, one end of which is secured to the frame 10, and the other end is secured at 74 to the upper end of the lever 68, and an intermediate portion of this cable passes around an idle sheave 75 rotatably supported by the shaft 76. The mechanism of Fig. 6 just describes serves to move the frame 10 positively in a left-hand direction, as in Figs. l, 2 and 3, and yielding means such as shown in these three figures may be employed to move the frame 10 in a righthand direction.

By employing cables and cooperating eccentrics in the manner herein described to operate the frame 10, an extremely simple and satisfactory form of operating means is obtained. The dirt and dust that may lodge on the cables and sheaves will not injure them or interfere with their operation, and dust and dirt is prevented from reaching the anti-friction bearings in the manner above pointed out.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for imparting back and forth movement to the frame, including a pair of cables each anchored at one end and having its other end secured to the frame, an operating shaft provided with an eccentric portion that extends lengthwise of the shaft a substantial distance, two sheaves rotatably mounted upon said eccentric portion in spaced relation to each other and each positioned to engage an intermediate portion of one of the cables, collars secured to the eccentric portion to hold the sheaves from moving lengthwise thereof, and means for rotating the shaft to actuate the sheaves so that they will alternately pull and slack olf their respective cables to actuate the frame.

2. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for moving the frame back and forth, including a rotating shaft having a relatively long eccentric portion, a pair of sheaves rotatably mounted upon the eccentric portion in spaced relation to each other, collars rigidly secured to the eccentric portion of the shaft at each side of the respective sheaves to hold the sheaves from moving lengthwise of the shaft and each collar having an end that projects into the bore of a sheave to close 'the bore, and a pair of cables each secured to the frame at one end and anchored at the other end and having an intermediate portion looped about a sheave to be alternately tensioned and slacked off as the shaftrotates.

3. ln combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for moving the frame baclr and forth, including a rotating shaft having a relatively long eccentric portion, a pair of sheaves rotatably mounted upon the eccentric portion in spaced relation to each other, collars mounted upon the eccentric portion at each side of the respective sheaves, means for securing each collar rigidly to the eccentric portion of the shaft to hold the sheaves in place, and a pair of cables one looped about;

each of the sheaves and having one end anchored and the other end secured to the frame and adapted to be alternately tensioned and slaclzed off as the shaft rotates.y

4l. 1n combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for imparting back and forth vibratory movement to the frame, including a pair of cables each anchored at one end and having its other end secured to the frame, an operating shaft provided with an eccentric portion that extends lengthwise of t-lie shaft a substantial distance, two sheaves rotatably mounted upony said eccentric `portion in spaced relation to each other and each positioned to engage an intermediate portion of one of the cables, collars mounted upon the eccentric portion to hold the sheaves from moving lengthwise of the shaft, means for securing the collars to the eccentric in different positions of adjustment so that the collars at the opposite sides of a'sheave Vmay be moved toward and from each other and may be moved with the sheavelengthwise of the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft to actuate the sheaves so that they will alternately pull and slack off their respective cables to actuate the frame.

5. In combination with a frame supported for backand forth movement, operating means for imparting back and forth vibiatory movement to the frame, including a cable anchored at one end and having its other end secured to the frame, an operating shaft provided with an eccentric portion that extends lengthwise of the-shaft a substantial distance, a sheave rotatably mounted upon said eccentric portion and positioned to engage an intermediate por-- tion of the cable, collars mounted upon the eccentric portion at the opposite sides of the sheave to hold the same from movement lengthwise of the shaft, means for securing the collars to the eccentric in different positions of adjustment so that the collars may be moved toward and fioin the sheave and lengthwise of the eccentric with the sheave, and means for rotating the shaftto actuate the sheave so that it will alternately pull and slack off the cable to actuate the frame.

eccentric portion, collars mounted upon thev eccentric portion at the vOpposite sides of the sheave to hold the sheave from moving lengthwise of the shaft and each collar having an end that projects into the bore of the sheave to close the borefand exclude dirt therefrom, and af cable having one end secured to the frame and its other end anchored and having an Vintermediate portion looped about the sheave to beV alternately tensioned and slaclred off as the shaft v rotates.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. STEBBINS. 

